Zach, she wrote because of her childhood there was a time where she did not
speak for 4 years because of issues with her family and she writes saying
that the the bird is a symbol of her and now that she is free from that
drama she can sing

Why did Maya Angelou write this poem? Does anybody know exactly what she
means? And no, please no comments from drama queens who think that the
poem was written specifically for them.

Zach Green

Comment 82 of 554, added on January 26th, 2006 at 5:20 PM.

I need help with finding some imageries in this poem and explain what they
mean. I also need to know why this poem repeats!

Thx

lauren from Canada

Comment 81 of 554, added on January 26th, 2006 at 1:49 PM.

I got this poem from a friend of mine(jess) who definitely understands me
more than i let on. She sent me this poem because this is exactly how my
life is.. I feel like im a bird in a cage and the only song that i have is
of freedom. As the poem kept going, i realized that Maya Angelou is right
about the fact that the free bird thinks of another "breeze" while the bird
that is caged only constantly thinks about freedom and the dreams they
would have if they were free. That is exactly how i felt too. This
correlates to me because my life is similar to this in so many ways.
Parents have no right to cage their children and my message is that if they
do they will suffer and make their children suffer as well. I dont have to
sing for freedom anymore because i have it. But i will never be truly
free from my parents grasp if i dont let them go completely. Financially,
and emotionally..
but my two cents to this poem are that i love it, that Maya Angelou knew
the message she wanted to convey and she did and it came out loud and
clear, the price of freedom, the duality between having freedom and not
having it... i love this poem. i'm going to first thank jess for sending it
to me and then im going to print it out and keep it by me. It's very
inspiring, and i thank maya for writing this poem.. it definitely
described my feelings within.

i like the birdbrain metaphor. we are all imprisoned within the bars of our
own ignorance. i think it is sadly restrictive to examine this poem in
light of racial issues.

i really dislike this poet. in all of her poems that i have read, she seems
entirely obsessed with comparison and a sort of competitiveness. i have my
doubts that these things are any sort of stepping stones on a path to
freedom.

i notice that my mother Eunice Johnson was mention in the book, she was
married to Bailey Johnson before she died. I would like to talk or e-amil
Maya Angelou about the past, or talk to her brother Bailey Johnson

Dear Friend from Bosnia, I fear that for generations born in America,
sleeping in comfort on the graves of brave fathers and grandfathers, I fear
that many have no idea that they are free, that they have never known true
bondage and, sadly, have no idea how "precious freedom is."

Patricia Belmont from United States

Comment 77 of 554, added on December 8th, 2005 at 1:24 PM.

This poem was written with very simple words and in a simple style, but
still it says a lot. When you read
"The caged bird sings with a fearful trill
of things unknown but longed for still
and his tune is heard on the distant hill
for the caged bird sings of freedom." it makes you wonder "does humanity
actually realize how precious freedom is???"

The poem I know Why The Caged Bird Sings has inspired me to read more
poetry. The feeling that this poem brings out in people is extrordinary. To
be caged up and have no will of your own is one of the greatest sins of all
time. This poem tells how they must of felt, how horrible it must of been.

Brittany Livengood from United States

Comment 75 of 554, added on December 7th, 2005 at 10:23 AM.

It's notorious that this poem show the suffering of a people whom was
forced to work like slaves even when slavery was over, and it's also a
critic for those who insult those who are equal to them.

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